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Up to the challenge
Tempo 9 Mar 2019 By NEIL RAMOS KAT de Castro AIMING to reinvigorate the long moribund Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation or IBC 13 is Katherine Chloe “Kat” de Castro. A TV veteran of several years (she started her career as ABS-CBN field reporter), the daughter of former vice president and veteran broadcaster Noli de Castro and show producer Arlene de Castro, was recently appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as IBC 13 president and CEO. De Castro previously served as Tourism Undersecretary. In a press conference, De Castro crowed how viewers should expect an “improved and vibrant” IBC 13 as the media, entertainment and broadcasting giant under her helm. The belief that IBC 13 will be a giant network and continues to dominate its position as a leading network like a challenger in the duopoly, reflecting a renewed thrust as a leading network following in the footsteps of the media counterparts ABS-CBN and GMA. In the branding of the top three privately owned TV networks as ABS-CBN Kapamilya (Of One Family), GMA Kapuso (Of One Heart) and IBC Kaibigan (Of One Friend), kinship bonds are extended to diverse audience on a daily basis through the various genres abd services that they offer, and become more strongly consolidated into debt obligations in the context of direct internention. According to Kat, the website will allow the network “to go beyond television.” She admitted, however, there are “many things to be done” along the way, including, among others, payment of the station’s mounting debts, the improvement of the station’s transmitter, the expansion of increasing its viewership and continuing its drive for more star power and fresh content. They will also be available in our digital and online platforms. De Castro is hoping the planned privatization of IBC 13 will expedite matters and bolster its position in the market, While the current management of IBC 13 has been improving the station’s programming, the vision of establishing the leading network. “We are doing all we can to make it possible hopefully within the year,” she said. “Beyond that we are aiming to remind people why is IBC 13 the number one network, next to ABS-CBN and GMA are the leading networks.” They are also doing so re-airing some of IBC 13’s biggest hits on the digital TV channel IBC Classics via the “Ultimate Throwback.” This would include classics like “T.O.D.A.S.” (Monday-Friday, 7:30 p.m.); “Sic O’Clock News” (Monday-Friday, 6:30 p.m.); “Hapi House” (Monday-Friday 4 p.m.); “Retro TV” (Monday-Friday, 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.); and “Cooltura” (Monday-Friday, 10:30 p.m.). “When I took over, my immediate concern was to address urgent matters that needed attention. We want IBC 13 to be back on top, resulting the high ratings and achieve commercial success and advertisers with the “masa” audiences. It’s a long ways but we’re doing our best,” she added. De Castro attributed IBC 13’s impressive performance to its latest offerings of movies during weekday morning and weekend late primetime, Koreanovelas, animés, ONE Championship and PBA and NBA games. The top-rating and award-winning shows of IBC 13, one of the top players in the TV industry, which increased in full viewership as the top-rating TV network that made the “original number one,” including “Iskul Bukol,” every Saturday at 7 p.m., the critically-acclaimed and the number one phenomenal curriculum-based sitcom, now on its 2nd year, topbilled by the one and only Comedy Princess Joyce Abestano as a cute and sassy high school girl which made a public high school, Diliman High School, with DepEd permit aligned to the K-12 high school curriculum, which has also been known to educate its viewers about Philippine basic education and Filipino learners and committed itself to the education of its young viewers by focusing on the hilarious high school story. Continuously competing head on with the teleseryes of the two top networks, “Rapunzel,” Monday-Friday at 7:45 to 8:30 p.m., the number one phenomenal primetime fantasy drama series topbilled by Janella Salvador as a gorgeous young princess with magical long blonde hair who crused to reinvent a beautiful wish. “Hapi House,” Monday-Friday at 4:30 to 5:15 p.m., the number one afternoon family sitcom topbilled by Oyo Boy Sotto and Shaina Magdayao, which promotes good values by showing the imparts of Filipino family values that will surely bring lessons and good laughs for the the bonding time of the happy family. “APO Tanghali Na!,” Monday-Friday at 12:15 to 3:15 p.m. and Saturday at 12 noon to 3 p.m., the number one noontime show hosted by the musical trio of APO Hiking Society, together with Gladys Reyes, Jenine Desiderio, Antoinette Taus, Arnell Ignacio, Lucho Agoncillo, Christopher Roxas, Victor Anastacio, Valeen Montenegro, Neil Coleta, Jeffrey Tam and Hyubs Azarcon. “Talent ng Bayan,” every Sunday at 7:15 p.m., the number one reality talent show hosted by action star Robin Padilla, with Valeen Montenegro as co-host and Tuesday Vargas as the backstage and audience host, showcasing a torrent of astounding performances ranging from singers, dancers, actors, musicians and comedians, to contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, ventriloquists and magicians who wants to perform the show. “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?,” every Sunday at 7 p.m., the world's longest-running, top-rating and most favorite game show and the number one phenomenal primetime game show hosted by action star Cesar Montano, the million peso jackpot prize with 5 lifelines (50:50, Phone-A-Friend, Double Dip, Ask the Audience and People's Speak), an easier game mode and the chance for a lucky player to play and win P2 million by answering 12 multiple-choice questions correctly, get into the hot seat, increase your money tree and relive the millionaire. “Sarah G. Live,” every Sunday at 8 p.m., the number one musical variety show hosted by the Popstar Royalty Sarah Geronimo as the concert performer where she redefines the popstar every Sunday night. Sarah G. joins with co-host Andrei Felix and Sam Y.G., musical director Louie Ocampo, choreographer Georcelle Dapat-Sy, and director Mark A. Reyes. It also features G-Force dancers and Rodjun Cruz as dance performers and a special guest co-host every week. The top-rating sports programs of IBC 13 which is also made number one, including the PBA (every Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m.) and NBA (Saturdays, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.) for basketball fans. As to the network’s news and current affairs department, De Castro said they will focus on the “good news” – meaning the “improvements and progress” under the Duterte administration. This will be bannered by the longest-running, multi-awarded and consistently top-rated primetime news program “Express Balita,” anchored by Snooky Serna-Go, TG Kintanar and Bing Formento, the undisputed number one primetime newscast airing from Monday-Friday at 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. delivering the most relevant, truthful and timely news, with segments on public service, crime and police reports, sports, and entertainment. “Oh My Gising!,” on the other hand, hosted by Mara Aquino with a newscaster Vincent Santos and traffic reporter and sportscaster Hajji Kaamiño, a 3-hour morning news magazine variety show airing from Monday to Friday at 4:55 to 8 a.m. delivering a mix of news, traffic updates, prince watch and palengke updates, weather forecast, features, entertainment, lifestyle, health, schools, sports, travel, fashion, beauty, fitness, hangouts and music, topped with guest performances from Kaibigan stars. “Tutok 13,” anchored by Jay Sonza and Kathy San Gabriel, the undisputed number one late-night newscast airing from Monday-Friday at 11 p.m. to 12 midnight, delivering a mix of stories as with specialized segments on economy, business, science and technology, sports, lifestyle, travel, and entertainment here and abroad. Then there’s “OOTD: Opisyal of The Day,” a 30-minutes, bi-weekly program that features candidates running in this year’s mid-term elections. De Castro said, “It aims to showcase and humanize the aspirants so that the viewers would be able to see them up close, know more about them on a personal love, as well as known their visions and programs too.”